Hatzaad Harishon ("The First Step") was formed in New York City in 1964, by Yaakov Gladstone, a white Jewish Hebrew teacher, with the aim of bridging the gap between Black and white Jews of America. Its members adhered to the concept of Klal...
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Hatzaad Harishon ("The First Step") was formed in New York City in 1964, by Yaakov Gladstone, a white Jewish Hebrew teacher, with the aim of bridging the gap between Black and white Jews of America. Its members adhered to the concept of Klal Yisrael ("the unity of the world's Jewish community") and rejected any ideology which was separatist and did not place Israel as the spiritual and national center of the Jewish people. Open to all Jews regardless of race, members of the adult organization met monthly and offered programs covering a wide range of topics and concerns. The organization sponsored Hatzaad Harishon's Youth/Young Adults, an activities group for young people ages 16-20. This group first came together as an Israeli dance troupe for the children of the adult members. The dance group was the fundraising and primary public relations arm of the youth group, and received media attention for its performances of Israeli folk dances. The organization dissolved in the late 1970s due to internal turmoil and the resignation of Yaakov Gladstone as vice president. The Hatzaad Harishon records consist of the correspondence of Yaakov Gladstone with other Jewish organizations; files about Hatzaad Harishon's youth activities and programs; and minutes of youth meetings. Also included are membership lists, files on fundraising benefits, and membership meeting notebooks. There is also scholarship and educational material, including information about yeshivot; program files and printed material related to other Jewish organizations associated with Hatzaad Harishon; and the mission statement and incorporation papers. Of interest is correspondence pertaining to Black Jews in Ethiopia and Philadelphia, and the Association of Black and White Jews, also located in Philadelphia.
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